{"id":"2085","t":"Haguette from Malmedy","t_s":-1,"tags":["3301","3309"],"thumb":{"fid":"3870","styles":{"circle_medium":"circle_medium_3870","circle_mini":"circle_mini_3870"},"ext":"png"},"pics":["3947"],"loc":"3618","loc_map":-1,"body":"<p>The <em>haguette <\/em>is the most iconic character in the Carnival held in the town of Malm\u00e9dy in the Walloon Region. Recognizable by her large hat decorated with multi-coloured ostrich feathers, she grips spectators gently by the ankles with a wooden instrument known as an <em>hape-tch\u00e2r<\/em> (\u00ab&nbsp;flesh-snatcher&nbsp;\u00bb), a type of articulated, extendable stick ending in pincers. She then invites the spectator to go down on one knee to \u00ab&nbsp;ask for pardon&nbsp;\u00bb in the Walloon language. The origin of the <em>haguette<\/em> has been the subject of much research and has given rise to a wide range of different theories. Due to insufficient documentation, it is difficult to trace the character\u2019s presence before the mid-19th century.<\/p>\r\n","fav":"0","fav_l":"0","don":"The Town of Malm\u00e9dy","d_y":1955,"d_m":11,"d_d":9,"d_s":-1}